Student, researcher, leader are just a few descriptors of Jocelyn Jackson, the National Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). She is dedicated to using her leadership and voice to make a difference in the lives of other young black women interested in engineering, and to make engineering a more diverse and accepting field for all.

As National Chair, Jackson promotes and make strides to accomplish the current strategic goal of NSBE: 10K by 2025, or to graduate 10,000 black engineers annually by 2025. She drives collaboration between members, partners, and staff to reach NSBE’s goals, and gathers perspectives to generate a 3-year strategic plan. Jackson leads the board of directors of NSBE to ensure the best overall experience of NSBE stakeholders. Jackson has previously served as National Vice Chair and Region V Chair for NSBE.

Jackson was recently featured in NBC Know Your Value’s article “How Jocelyn Jackson is changing the face of engineering,” where she discussed her journey to becoming an engineer, the adversity she has faced along the way, and how NSBE has helped her and other black engineers, especially fellow women, feel more accepted in the profession.

Originally from Davenport, Iowa, Jackson received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, where her thesis research focused on the development of elastomeric coatings with reduced wear for ice-free applications. She is a first-year doctoral student in Engineering Education Research at the University of Michigan. Her current research examines perceptions of Innovation Corps programming with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion, which will inform principles for an entrepreneurship education program funded by the National Science Foundation.

She has held multiple internship positions at John Deere, including Test Engineering Intern and Manufacturing Engineer Intern. She was also a Supply Chain and Operations intern at Land O’Lakes, Inc. Jackson is the recipient of multiple awards for her academic achievements, and has also authored a variety of engineering research publications.